Territory couple push for euthanasia rights as mother Liz Holmes’ legacy

After her mother took her own life, Sharon has advocated for euthanasia to be accessible right across Australia. Just one government is yet to act – her own.

“Thank you so much for understanding – you know I can’t do this existence anymore,” Liz Holmes texted her daughter on a Friday morning in 2017.

Later that day, she took her own life.

For 24 years the devoted mother-of-three battled terminal breast cancer, two hip replacements and a broken back, leaving her with “nothing to look forward to but pain and indignity”.

“We should all be able to choose when we die, so with great courage and no cowardice I go to God. An act of love,” a letter left on her dining table read.

Sharon Cramp-Oliver knew what her mother was going to do, but was prevented from doing anything about it, much less be there for her final days.

Sharon Cramp-Oliver said her mother Liz “loved” visiting the Territory when she could, before her long illness. Picture: Floss Adams

At the time, euthanasia was not legal anywhere in Australia.

Liz died in her garage with her dog Katie, “her saviour”.

“My mum was so unselfish. Her whole life, she did everything for everybody, expecting nothing back,” Sharon said, speaking with her partner Spud Thomas from their Territory bush property.

“She was so concerned that if we were with her, we would be charged as an accessory to her death.

“It was so, so difficult because I really wanted to be there, and I couldn’t. She wouldn’t let me.”

Liz Holmes took her own life in September 2017, a time where euthanasia was not accessible anywhere in Australia. She was 77-years-old. Picture: Annabel Bowles

But there was one thing Sharon could try to do for her mother.

“For about six weeks every afternoon, up until the day she took her life, Spud and I would have a glass of wine with her over the phone and we would just talk about everything,” Sharon said.

“But she was also telling me something needs to be done about euthanasia, saying ‘you need to do something about it’.”

Liz’s last text message said “you of all people can do it”.

Sharon Cramp-Oliver and partner Spud Thomas have shared the story of her Mum, Liz, who took her own life in 2017 without access to euthanasia. Picture: Floss Adams

In the five years since Liz’s passing, Sharon has shared her mum’s story with the world.

It was tabled in the NT parliament two months after her death, as well as in Canberra late last year as Territory Rights passed.

Sharon has written to “every single politician you can think of” including the Governor-General and the late Queen, urging decision-makers to act on euthanasia laws.

In that time she has watched almost all Australian jurisdictions grant people that right.

All but her own.

The NT government, despite being the first in the world to legalise voluntary assisted dying, has no plans to return that right to Territorians anytime soon.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles has maintained she will not put the issue to parliament before the 2024 election.

“As Northern Territory residents I believe we should have the same rights as everybody else in Australia, and we don’t right now,” Sharon said.

“This is not about politics, this is about people’s rights.”

Above all, Sharon remembers her mother as resilient, kind and wickedly funny.

Liz was a Lifeline counsellor in her hometown Tamworth for 18 years.

She was someone who would “look after all the kids in the neighbourhood”, a “beautiful soul”.

But Sharon will never forget about the difficulties Liz endured and the decision she faced in her final years.

In the end, she could not travel to visit her family, drive or barely walk.

Liz, described by her family as someone who would do everything for everybody, “expecting nothing in return”, was qualified in nursing and counselling. Picture: Floss Adams

“My mum kept a diary all her life, I have all her diaries,” she said.

“A while after she passed, I started reading some of her older diaries and she’d been contemplating taking her own life for a number of years.

“She was in so much pain.”

“It’s quite amazing how she documented her pain and everything throughout the diaries,” Spud said.

“She was incredibly tough, amazingly strong minded.”

Sharon said the choice to die peacefully and without pain was her mother’s “legacy”.

‘That’s why I’m doing this,” she said.

“It would have been really nice if we could have all sat down, had dinner and said ‘okay Mum, are you alright? Are you ready? Are you sure?”

“Give her a hug … everybody could have given her a hug.”

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Originally published as Territory couple push for euthanasia rights as mother Liz Holmes’ legacy